A weakness of conventional tubular radial pin tumbler locks is poor key control because of a limited number of keyways available for the locks. Providing a variety of keyways enables a specific key to open a lock where other keys will not open that lock. Most keys for tubular radial pin tumbler locks are round on both the outside and the inside. The number of keyways available for a round key is limited to one. Therefore, any round key may be used to open any round tubular radial pin tumbler lock of the same size. And since a large number of these locks are the same size, the same key may be used to open many locks.
Another problem with conventional tubular radial pin tumbler locks in that these locks are prone to picking or being drilled into in order to open the lock. Various types of split pin tubular pin tumbler locks have been designed with varying attempts to make the lock more pick resistant and drill resistant. Examples of previous attempts to solve these problems include a specifically designed key that fits into a corresponding shell. Another example of prior art demonstrates how a certain key can be designed to only fit into a corresponding shell. These solutions do not address the picking problems with picking tools that fit over a round spindle, in the above previous solutions the changes were made to the outside diameter of the key which mates to the corresponding change to the shell. No changes were made to the spindle which remained round and subject to picking tools that fit over a round spindle. Others have tried to solve the problem to lock picking by using a different shaped key that would match up with the inner part of the lock. However, these solutions provide regularly shaped keys such as, but not limited to an octagon, which does not provide additional keyways since all of the sides are equal. Other have tried to solve picking problems by using multiple keys to operate the lock. However, the use of multiple keys can be inconvenient for users. Yet others have tried by using various methods, attempting to solve the picking and drilling problems with varying degrees of success. However, no prior art provides substantial drill protection.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need for an improved tubular radial pin tumbler lock and key that provides a larger number of keyways for increased key control and more protection against picking and drilling.
Unless otherwise indicated illustrations in the figures are not necessarily drawn to scale.